PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Thomas Manton — Volume 19
Thomas Manton · 315,248 words · 313 reading sections
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■'A»!miiimHhkmii:' ^.:^b> PRINCETON, N. J. ^•/J^// BX «9i:3 .M3 18/U V.19 ^ Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677. The complete works of Thomas Manton THE WORKS OF THOMAS MANTON, D.D. VOL. XIX. COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION. W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational Union, Edinburgh. JAMES BEGG, D.D., Mi…
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SERMON UPON JOHN XVIII. 11. The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drinh it ? John xviii. 11. These words are part of Christ's rebuke to Peter, who, when the high priest's servants came to attack Christ, draweth his sword, and cuts off Malchus' ear, which our Lord first healeth, and then reproveth his dis…
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3. Christ's submission, * Shall I not drink it ? ' If God put a bitter cup into our hands, we must not refuse it, for here we have Christ's example. The meaning is, this bitter passion which the Father hath laid upon me, shall I not suffer it patiently ? Doct. That it is the duty of christians patiently to suffer what…
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2. That cross issues and punishments, as well as benefits and pros- perous successes, come all of God : Isa. xlv. 7, ' I form the light, and create darkness ; I make peace, and create evil : I, the Lord, do all these tilings.' AH evils of punishment come from God, as well as the blessings of providence ; and without tl…
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First, I shall state this matter in these considerations — 1. God is a father by creation or adoption. [1.] In a more general respect by creation, as Adam is called 'the son of God,' Luke iii. ^38. So Mai. ii. 10, ' Have we not all one Father ? hath not one God created us ? ' God is more our Father than our natural p…
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SERMON UPON JOHN XVIII. 11. 9 honour ; it is else but an empty title : Mai. i. 6, ' If I then he a father, where is mine honour ? If I l3e a master, where is my fear ? ' So for fear or childlike reverence, that we dare not offend him : Ps. ciii. 13, * As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fea…
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5. If hitherto you have been quite strangers to God, such providences may be an occasion to begin the relation before they are over, as they are helps to repentance and recovery. Ui)on the serious working of your souls, the Lord may be found as a father, and admit you into his family. It is said, ' The Lord loveth whom…
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2. With respect to Christ, whose example should be of force to us both for suffering and patience in suffering. For suffering, there is a cer- tain measure of affliction fitted and prepared for Christ and all his 12 SERMON UPON JOHN XYIII. 11. followers ; the bitter cup goetli round from hand to hand ; the whole wave…
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1. Christ's request, 'Father, forgive them.' 2. The argument by which it is enforced, ' For they know not what they do.' I. Christ's request, ' Father, forgive them.' ' Father ' is a word of confidence towards God and of love to his enemies ; he mentionetli the sweetest relation. 'Father' is a word of blandishment, a…
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1. For whom he prayeth ; for his persecutors, men that had done him the greatest contempt and villany which their spite and malice could invent. They had mocked and buffeted him, mangled his flesh with scourges, led him like a public spectacle of shame through the streets of the city, and by importunate clamours had go…
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VOL. XIX. B 18 SERMON UPON LUKE XXIII. 34. and the riches of his grace. They curse, and he blesseth ; they vomit out scorns and slanders, but he poureth out prayers to God for them. 2. That all sins, even the greatest, except that against the Holy Ghost, are pardonable. What greater sin could there be than crucify- …
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Use 2. Keproof of those that are cruel and revengeful. How differ- ent are they from Christ who are all for unkindness and revenge, and solicit vengeance against God's suffering servants with eager aggrava- tions ! Oh, how can these men look upon Christ's practice without shame ! How can they look upon these prodigies …
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1. In private cases. A man shall meet with offences in the world. All men have not faith; some are absurd and injurious. What a comfort would a man have in his spirit when he can pity their blind- ness and pardon their malice. They took away the life of Christ, and SERMON UPON LUKE XXIII, 34, 21 yet he saith, ' Fathe…
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2. In public cases. In these times of mutual provocation we are apt to return evil for evil and word for word, and to curse and pray against one another ; but we should labour to retiu-n good for evil, for injury doth not justify revenge. Religious quarrels are usually carried on with great hatred and animosity, for th…
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1. It is an instance of Christ's love and bowels to sinners ; he loved mankind so well that he prayed for them that crucified him. Look on the Lord Jesus as praying and dying for enemies, and improve it as a ground of confidence. Upon the cross he would give us an instance of his efficacy in converting the thief, and o…
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5. It shows the nature of his intercession. It not only implies the everlastingness of his merit, that his blood doth continue to deserve such things at the hands of God as we stand in need of, but it is a continual representation of his merit ; it is not a metaphor, but a solemn act of his priesthood. Again, it is not…
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Doct There is a difference between sinners, and it is a more danger- ous thing to sin against knowledge than out of ignorance. SERMON UPON LJJKE XXIIT. 34, 27 1. Some sin wittingly and wilfully, as Cain, Sanl, Judas, &c., who against the apparent light of their consciences venture upon the foulest actions, 2. Others…
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Use. Let us beware of sin against knowledge ; these sins, of all others, are the most dangerous, whether they be sins of omission ; to omit duties that we know to be duties, this is very dangerous : James iv. 17, ' Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin ; ' or sins of commission, t…
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Let us now see what they did to Christ when he had declared the extremity of his thirst : ' Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar, and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth,' ver. 29. This fact of theirs is diversely construed ; some say, they did it out of kindness, an…
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was prophesied of the Messiah : Zech. ix. 9, ' Behold thy Idng cometh unto thee ; he is just, and having salvation ; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass ; ' and fulfilled by Christ, Mat. xxi. 4, 5, ' All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tel…
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3. AH was finished that was necessary to make him a fit pattern of patience to us ; for he had borne the extremity of his enemies' malice, all that man or devils could by the permission of God execute upon him ; for he saith, Luke xxii. 53, ' This is your hour, and the power of darkness.' Yea, he had drunk up the cup w…
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(2.) In respect of us. It is not so finished but that something is to be done by the creature. Though the satisfaction be never so perfect, yet there is a necessity of application. The sacrifice and atonement is isufflcient, but it must be applied in the wny appointed by God. The means of applying are partly internal, …
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SERMON UPON JOHN XIX. 30. 37 wronf^ed, as if he did not hate sin ; and his justice and truth, as if he would not punish it ; his power lessened, for sin is an act of presump- tion, and implieth a contest with God. Now in all these respects it was necessary that God should vindicate his glor}^ and he no loser ; which w…
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SERMON UPON JOHN XIX. 30. 39 ^iven him not only a dischar£:e, but a reward. Christ imdertahins^ for us is somewhat like that of Keuben for Benjamin : Gen. xliii. 9, ' I will be surety for him ; of my hand shalt thou require him : if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for eve…
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6. It doth not only bind our duty upon us, but it encourages us to repent and believe and obey ; for Christ is ' able to save to the utmost all those that come to God by him,' Heb. vii. 25 ; and he is ' the author and finisher of our faith,' Heb. xii. 2 ; and doth ' give repent- ance as well as remission of sins,' Acts…
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But what were the reasons why Christ would not give over till all was perfected ? [1.] Love to his Father : John xviii. 11, ' The cup which my Father halh given me, shall I not drink it ? ' Christ loved the Father with unspeakable love, and was in like manner beloved by him. Therefore when this cup was put into his ha…
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3. Let it quicken us to perseverance in our duty, notwithstanding sufferings, till all be ended ; that, when we come to die, we may be able to say, John xvii. 4, ' I have glorified thee on earth ; I have finished the work thou gavest me to do ;' 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8, ' I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, …
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SERMON UPON JOHN XIX. 30. 45 3. This would finish his labours. Death was Christ's last enemy, of his person, as well as of his kingdom. He had been harassed and worn out with sorrows ; the grave was a place of rest ; it was finished as to him : Isa. Ivii. 2, ' He shall enter into peace ; they shall rest in their beds.…
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3. That death which he died was a sad bloody death, the saddest death that any man could die. He was weakened with the agonies in the garden: ' They pierced his hands and his feet,' Ps. xxii. 16. The sinewy parts of his body were pierced with nails, his life dropping out by degrees ; the irons opened a passage for his …
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Use 2. This affords much comfort to humbled sinners. Take Christ as freely as he freely offereth himself for you. He resigned up himself to death, and will not you resign up yourselves by flxith ? He poured out his soul to death, and will not you pour out your souls into his bosom ? Consider, all the persons of the Tri…
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3. The object, with its number, 'Many inventions.' There is some difference in the translations. Ludovicus de Dieu, because the word for ' many ' signifieth also ' great ' and ' mighty,' rendereth it, Ipsi cmtem qucesiverunt cogitationes magnatum ; meaning by the ' mighty ' the angels who were not contented with their …
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[2.] So as to practice. Whilst instead of dependence and downright simplicity they fly to their own shifts, and will help themselves rather than trust God, they involve themselves the more. There is one prin- ciple of sincerity, to depend upon God's all-sufficiency : Gen. xvii. 1, * I am the Almighty God ; walk before …
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(1 .) The more studiously and dexterously any sin is carried on, it argueth the worse temper of spirit, and the sin is the more aggravated : ' To be wise to do evil,' Jer. iv. 22 ; 'To devise iniquity, and work evil upon our beds,' Micah ii. 1 ; ' The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his tee…
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(3.) Though he meet with often disappointments, yet he is unwilling to return even after God hath showed a remedy, and brought life and immortality to light in the gospel, in which way he may have peace and happiness, and so rest for his soul. God hath showed us the way to rest: Jer. vi. 16, 'Ask for the old paths, whe…
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3. With respect to that one object who alone was sufficient for us. They that have left God, and would find happiness in the creatures, need many creatures before they can patch up any sorry tolerable happiness to themselves. One broken cistern can yield but little refreshing, Jer. ii. 13 ; so many disappointments make…
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[3.] They prefer earth before heaven and time before eternity. All their business is rather to make sure of the prosperity of the body than the salvation of the soul. And though it is plain, and they do or may know and see that this will not cure their diseases, nor ease their pain, nor save them from the grave nor hel…
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1. Our understandings are so weak, that we are ignorant of many things necessary to be known ; for we know but in part. If we know something in general, we fail in particular application ; both in general and in particular. If we know things habitually, we do not actually consider them, being hindered by multitude of b…
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2. What shall become of it ? ' It shall return to the earth as it was ; ' Gen. iii. 19, ' Dust tliou art, and unto dust shalt thou return ; ' Ps. civ. 29, ' Thou takest away their breath ; they die and return to their dust ; ' Ps. cxlvi. 4, ' He returneth to his earth.' Which should teach us to take care for a better e…
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3. A gratuitous immortality, or by gift and courtesy ; so the body of Adam in innocency, non conditione corporis, but henejiiio condiioris ; not by the condition of his body, but the bounty of his maker : so the bodies of the faithful after the resurrection shall be immortal. Secondly, Let us prove this, that the soul…
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Therefore let us see what the light of scripture saith to this point. [1.] It discovereth to us everywhere the doctrine of the eternal recompenses, two places, and two estates, wherein souls abide after death, heaven and hell : heaven, the mansion of the just : John xiv. 2, ' In my Father's house are many mansions.' A…
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SERMON UPON ECCLESIASTES XII. 7. 67 do believers to Christ : Acts vii, 59, ' Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' If the soul did perish with the bodj, why should we commit it to Christ? [4.] The Holy Spirit is given to form and prepare us for this estate, therefore by consequence to assure us of it : 2 Cor. v. 5, ' Now h…
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2. The scripture mentions words that imply its independence of the body, or that it doth not so wholly depend on the body that it cannot subsist and act without it ; they go several ways, as in the text : 3 John 2, ' I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, as thy soul prospereth ; ' 2 Cor. iv…
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Secondly, I shall urge other arguments for the immortality of the soul. 1. The capacity of the soul argueth the immortality of it. Now it is capable — (1.) Of civil arts ; (2.) Of owning the distinction between good and evil; (3.) Of knowing immortality and matters of everlasting consequence; (4.) Of knowing God and h…
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[5.] Man is capable of a divine nature, which consists not only in the bare knowledge, but love of God : 2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature.' He is capable of the image of God : Eph. iv. 24, ' And that ye put on the ne…
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[1.] That God governeth the world by the hopes and fears of another life is evident, not only by the tenor of the christian religion, where the covenant between God and men is established by such threatenings and promises, but by the consent of all nations where government is secured and upheld by such a persuasion. No…
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[4.] The duties which God requireth of us show it. Man is obliged to divers duties which are difficult and displeasing to the flesh, and which we should never perform without a serious belief of the soul's immortality ; such as these, to forsake the sinful pleasures of the world, to mortify and tame the flesh, diligent…
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1. These men do not believe that which scripture and reason showeth to be certainly true, and so do not show themselves either christians or men. The great design of scripture is to give them a pros])ect of another world, and to assure them of a life after death. And will you not receive God's testimony ? Are God's thr…
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Use 2. Is caution. 1. Do not hazard your souls for things that perish. Let nothing 78 SERMON UPON ECCLESIASTES XII. 7. entice us to forfeit or hinder our endless happiness : Heb. x. 39, ' We are not of them wlio draw back unto perdition, but of thera that believe to tlie saving of the soul ; ' Mat. xvi. 26, * What i…
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1. The person to whom this doxology is directed, * To him ; ' that is, to Jesus Christ, ' the faithful witness, the first begotten from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.' 2. The reasons or matter of it. Wherein — (1.) The moving cause of all that Christ hath done for us, ' He loved us.' (2.) The bene…
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VOL. XIX. F 82 SERMONS UPON REVELATION I. 5, 6. of the Icings of the earth,' of whose power and persecutions they were 80 much afraid, but needed not ; for they are not only accountable to Christ at last, which those adverse powers little valued, having not embraced the profession of the gospel ; but were held in by …
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II. What he hath done for us, ' He loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.' And there we begin — First, With the fountain and bosom cause of all, and that is Christ's love : ' To him that loved us.' 1. Christ's love is the ground of man's redemption ; that stirred all the causes, and set them a-work, …
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SERMONS UPON REVELATION I. 5, 6. 85 that earnest constraint or encouragement to duty which it is wont to j)roduce in the heart. We must neither do it slightly nor seldom. Our hearts are too narrow to understand it all at once ; it is so vast and boundless, so rich and unsearchable, yea, infinite. We never know so much…
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Secondly, The signal act of his love to us : * He washed us from our sins in his own blood.' 1. Observe, this is put as the great instance of his love. We cannot know the love of God by any other fruit and benefit till this be done. By the bounty of his general providence he provideth for all his creatures, and feedet…
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[3.] This sacrifice thus offered was accepted of God in the behalf of sinful man, as a full price and merit to procure for us both justification and sanctification. We needed both, being polluted both with the guilt and stain of sin. Both are a trouble to a sensible conscience or an awakened sinner, who is in the next …
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III. The fruits and benefits that we have thereby : ' He hath made us kings and priests unto God, and to his Father.' This doth oblige us the more to ascribe, and give glory and dominion to him for ever and ever, since he hath brought us into communion with God, and set us apart as consecrated persons, such as kings an…
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(2.) Hereafter we shall reign visibly and gloriously, when we shall sit upon thrones with Christ, at his last coming to judge the world, and angels themselves : Mat. xix. 28, 'Verily, I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of hisgloiy, ye also sh…
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[1.] The things ascribed to Christ, 'Glory and dominion,' In other places it is honour and power everlasting : 1 Tim. vi. 16, ' Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see; to whom be honour and power everlasting, Amen.' In the Lord's prayer more f…
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I shall prove it by these arguments — 1. Because a christian is conformed to Christ, and made like him in all things. Christ must irpcoTevetv, first it in all things : Col. i. ] 8, ' That in all things he might have the pre-eminence ;' Rom. viii. 29, ' Whom he did foreknow, he did also predestinate to be conformed to …
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2. My next argument is, this suiteth with the other privilege of kings. We are made kings as well as priests. Now, as our kingly office is not perfect till we come to heaven, so neither our priestly ; and there- fore it mainly respecteth our ministration in the heavenly temple. How is a poor christian a king here, unle…
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4. We have not the full privileges of priests till then, which is inti- macy, full communion, nearness of access to God, and ministration before him. This is the privilege we have as priests. The apostle tellelh us, Heb. ix. 8, ' The Holy Ghost signifieth that the way to the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, wh…
1,023 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1870); OCR text from Internet Archive. OCR may contain scanning/transcription errors. Verify quotations against page images when precision matters.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.